H.R. No. 664

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Sam Houston, one of the most imposing figures ever
	to lead the Lone Star State, was born on March 2, 1793, near
	Lexington, Virginia; and
	WHEREAS, After moving at a young age to eastern Tennessee
	with his widowed mother and eight brothers and sisters, Sam Houston
	ran away from home and lived for three years among the Cherokee,
	with whom he developed close bonds of friendship; and
	WHEREAS, His military valor during the War of 1812 brought
	him to the attention of his commanding general, Andrew Jackson, who
	subsequently helped to advance his career; Sam Houston remained in
	the army until 1818, when he resigned and began the study of law; in
	rapid succession, he was elected prosecuting attorney for the
	District of Nashville, congressman, and, in 1827, governor of
	Tennessee; two years later, however, while campaigning for
	reelection, he separated from his wife; in deep distress, he
	resigned his office and rejoined the Cherokee; and
	WHEREAS, By 1833, Sam Houston had moved to Texas, which he saw
	as a field of vast opportunity; quickly immersing himself in
	politics, he favored breaking away from Mexico and served as a
	delegate to several conventions, including the one that proclaimed
	Texas independence on March 2, 1836; two days later, he was
	commissioned major general of the Texas Army and put in charge of
	the troops at Gonzales; and
	WHEREAS, Commanding inexperienced soldiers and confronting a
	much larger Mexican force, Sam Houston began a more than monthlong
	withdrawal from Gonzales toward the northeast; though severely
	criticized by many, his strategy was vindicated on April 21, 1836,
	when he vanquished the troops under General Antonio Lopez de Santa
	Anna at San Jacinto; and
	WHEREAS, The following September, Sam Houston became the
	first regularly elected president of the Republic of Texas; he
	served until 1838 and again from 1841 to 1844, during which time he
	supported annexation to the United States and worked to maintain
	peace with both Mexico and the Indians; and
	WHEREAS, Greatly admired by many fellow citizens, Sam Houston
	then served as a U.S. senator from 1846 to 1859, when he was elected
	governor; a staunch Unionist, he opposed the extension of slavery
	and argued strenuously against secession; when, in 1861, Texas
	followed a number of other southern states out of the union, he
	refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Confederacy and was
	deposed from office; in the fall of 1862, he moved with his wife,
	Margaret, and their children to Huntsville, where he died on July
	26, 1863; and
	WHEREAS, Huntsville is now home to Sam Houston State
	University, which has been educating Texans for more than 130
	years; Sam Houston's legacy lives on through the school and its
	alumni association, and the celebrated Bob Bullock Texas State
	History Museum continues to tell his story; and
	WHEREAS, A man of exceptional ability, ambition, and force of
	character, Sam Houston shaped the State of Texas and captured the
	imagination of its people as few other individuals have ever done,
	and it is indeed fitting that his life be honored; now, therefore,
	be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
	Legislature hereby recognize March 3, 2011, as Sam Houston Day at
	the State Capitol and commemorate the 218th anniversary of the
	birth of this preeminent Texan.
	Kolkhorst
	Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
	Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
	Allen Gooden Murphy
	Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
	Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
	Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
	Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
	Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
	Aycock Harless Parker
	Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
	Berman Hartnett Paxton
	Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
	Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
	Branch Hochberg Phillips
	Brown Hopson Pickett
	Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
	Burnam Howard of Travis Price
	Button Huberty Quintanilla
	Cain Hughes Raymond
	Callegari Hunter Reynolds
	Carter Isaac Riddle
	Castro Jackson Ritter
	Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
	Christian Keffer Schwertner
	Coleman King of Parker Scott
	Cook King of Taylor Sheets
	Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
	Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
	Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
	Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
	Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
	J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
	S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
	Deshotel Lavender Strama
	Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
	Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
	Dutton Lozano Thompson
	Eiland Lucio III Torres
	Eissler Lyne Truitt
	Elkins Madden Turner
	Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
	Farrar Margo Villarreal
	Fletcher Marquez Vo
	Flynn Martinez Walle
	Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
	Gallego McClendon White
	Garza Menendez Woolley
	Geren Miles Workman
	Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
	Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 664 was adopted by the House on March 3,
	2011, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House